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Who's Who - William Erwin

William P. Erwin
(1895-1927) scored eight victories as a U.S.
air ace
during World War One.

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Born in Amarillo, Texas on
18 October 1895, Erwin was raised in Chicago.

With America's advent into
the war in April 1917 Erwin was prompt in volunteering his services with the
air service. Duly accepted he was sent, following training, to France
where he was assigned flight duties with Lieutenant D. H. Dahringer with the
1st U.S. Aero Squadron.

His first victory - or
'kill' - was achieved in September 1918, and a second - downing a Rumpler
two-seater aircraft - followed some two weeks later. A dawn patrol the
following month brought Erwin his third aerial victory.

Scoring two further
victories in a single afternoon in early October, Erwin duly qualified as an
ace by achieving five kills. His sixth followed on 15 October and a
seventh success on 18 October, a Fokker D.VII.

Erwin's eighth and final
victory was achieved on 22 October.

The recipient of both the
Distinguished
Service Cross (DSC) and French
Croix de
Guerre - the former for his actions during fighting at Chateau Thierry
and St. Mihiel, where he undertook dangerous missions strafing enemy
soldiers from low altitudes - Erwin survived the war, retaining an interest
in aviation.

While participating in the
Dole Air Race (from California to Hawaii) of 1927 Erwin was presumed lost at
sea while searching for other participants. His date of death was put
at 20 October 1917, two days after his 32nd birthday.

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Saturday, 22 August, 2009Michael Duffy

'minnie' was a term used to describe the German trench mortar minnenwerfer (another such term was Moaning Minnie).